Leucite is the material having the composition of potassium aluminium silicates with the formula of K[AlSi2O6]. While zeolites are the aluminium silicates with wide variety of cations like Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, having formula of Na2Al2Si3O10.2H2O (an example of zeolite). Nanotechnology deals with materials smaller than 100 nanometers with novel properties. Scientists have worked on the synthesis of zeolites and leocite and studied their applications [1-7]. There are several methods to synthesis the nanomaterials like, sol-gel [8], hydrothermal[9], conventional heating[9], anodization[10], wet oxidation[11] and deposition-precipitation[12]methods. The data have been reported on the synthesis of zeolites and their application in agriculture and slow release nitrogen fertilizers [2,3,7]. The focus of this research is to synthesis the leucite nanoparticles with cost effective method and their applications in slow release nitrogen fertilizers to make the green environment.
Slow release nitrogen fertilizers are needed to meet the demand of food which is increasing in the globe due to increasing population. It is also essential to over the come the percentage of yield losses due to weeds and pests by applying appropriate pesticides or fertilizers having long life efficiency. Fertilizers are the main source of nutrients, but when these fertilizers are applied to soil, only small portion is utilized while the remaining portion is subjected to degradation and leaching which cause ground water contamination and lead to health problems. The nitrogen applied to the soil through conventional fertilizers having particle size dimensions greater than 100 nm and 50-70% of them is lost due to leaching. Due to leaching, Nitrogen Utilization Efficiency (NUE) by the plants decreases. Increase in nitrogen content in the surface water leads to the algae proliferation which contaminate water and decrease its storage capacity. It is perhaps less effective way to increase the NUE of the plants by conventional fertilizer. Nanofertilizers are expected to be more better than conventional fertilizers due to high surface area to volume ratio. Nanofertilizers increase the retention of nutrient in the soil through the extent of the sorption which is controlled by physical and chemical properties of the fertilizer and soil.
Aluminosilicates could be best eco-friendly materials. They can exert beneficial effects to the land and can solve many problems related to the agricultural and water pollution. They have excellent cation exchange capacity (CEC) and their nutrient holding capacity can be increased by salt occlusion. Their potential application has been explored as selective adsorbents, artificial soil and fertilizer matrices. The purpose of this invention to synthesis nanolecucite porous material by hydrothermal method in anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate). The surfactant was used to increase the porosity of the nanoleucite. When this porous material is treated with molten salts, the salt could be introduced into the pores. Salts are occluded depending upon the proper size of pore and each ion pair. It is also observed that occluded salt is somewhat stable to water washing.